The invention relates, in general, to dental appliances, and, in particular, to dental appliances for illuminating the mouth of a dental patient for examination and/or operative purposes.
Illuminating the interior of a dental patient""s mouth during dental examination and/or operation is difficult because the patient""s mouth must be illuminated through a narrow opening, i.e. , the patient""s mouth, and the dentist must work in close proximity to the mouth, often blocking the light source. Proper illumination is essential for dental examination and/or operation.
The oral cavity is typically illuminated by a focused light source mounted approximately two to three feet above a dental chair that the patient rests on. The light source is configured to direct light onto and into the patient""s mouth. The amount of light entering the oral cavity using this type of lighting is somewhat limited due to the fact that the light source is remote from the patient""s mouth. Additionally, the dentist or oral surgeon must often position oneself or his or her instruments between the light source and the patient""s mouth to properly view the patient""s mouth, blocking light from entering the mouth. The blocking of light casts an effective shadow in the patient""s mouth or in areas of the patient""s mouth such as certain teeth.
In order to inhibit this blocking or shadowing, fiber optic lighting has been incorporated into handheld dental instruments. Typically, one or two fiber optic strands extend longitudinally along the instrument and include a light outlet end configured to direct light towards the end of the instrument. However, this type of lighting has a number of drawbacks. Light is only directed on a limited area in the mouth and does not provide illumination for the entire oral cavity. Additionally, the presence of this type of lighting, typically as an add-on feature on the instrument interferes with the comfortable and proper use of the instrument. The fiber optic bundles also degrade over time because the fiber optics and instrument go through autoclaving numerous times. Components of the instrument, e.g., turbines, may be easily changed once degraded, but the fiber optic bundles can not.
Other devices have been designed specifically for illuminating a patient""s teeth, but these devices suffer from any or all of the following drawbacks: inadequate illumination of the patient""s teeth, and interference with other dental instruments used during the examination and/or operation.
The present invention is directed to an intraoral illumination device for illuminating the interior cavity of a patient""s mouth. The illumination device includes a bite block, or piece, adapted to be engaged by a patient""s teeth. A curved main body portion is to generally wrap around a rear part of the interior cavity of the patient""s mouth with the bite piece at one end. A light dispersion piece extends along the curved main body portion to also generally wrap around the rear part of the interior cavity of the patient""s mouth.
In a first separate aspect of the present invention, the main body portion and the dispersion piece are of similar composition to control dispersion of light in a similar manner.
In a second separate aspect of the present invention, the first separate aspect further includes a cheek retractor portion at the opposite side of the curved main body portion from the bite piece. The entire device may extend around the back of a patient""s mouth with the bite piece between the patient""s teeth and the cheek retractor lying against the cheek on the opposite side of the mouth. The device may be flexible and disposable.
In a third separate aspect of the present invention, the main body portion and the dispersion piece are of similar composition to control dispersion of light in a similar manner and at least one evacuation channel extends through the main body portion to be in fluid communication with the patient""s mouth. The device may further include a vacuum source and a light source coupled with a light carrier/fluid evacuation tube connector that is in turn coupled with the light dispersion piece and the evacuation channel.
In a fourth separate aspect of the present invention, an intraoral device includes a body having a first wall made of translucent material and a second wall with the first and second walls having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surfaces of the first and second walls defining an interior cavity with evacuation holes extending from the outer surface to the interior cavity. A connector portion extends from the body to connect with a vacuum source. The connector portion also communicates with the evacuation holes.
In a fifth separate aspect of the present invention, combinations of any of the foregoing aspects are contemplated.
Other, more particular features and advantages of the inventions are set forth in the following detailed description and drawings.